Friday, February 24, 2012

Note: I'm gonna start boycotting commenting on blogs with captchas. Nothing personal, please know that. I simply get beyond irritated when I have to try and enter the KGB level encryption codes sometimes. Geesh. So, sorry. If you retain the captcha, I'll likely not comment when I come to see how you're doing. K? K!

Friday, February 17, 2012

If your outfit doesn't fit at all yet, it's fine to note this in your post and not have to offer a pic.
It's a holiday weekend (and my birthday is Monday, President'sDay), so I am giving a little leeway. I've allowed a few extra hours to update. HOWEVER, I do encourage you update early and not miss the deadline.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Disclaimer #1: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness guru. I am sharing what I've learned through research and experience; you all must use your own judgment in deciding what is best for your and your own health, including checking with your doctor before beginning any exercise or dietary program.

In Honor of the Feastday of St. Valentine, the patron saint of Love and Happy Marriages

Chocolate is right up there on the top of my list of all time greatest inventions. All praise and glory to whoever it was that figured out those little cacao beans could be fermented, dried, ground up and then made into edible bliss. But can we eat it as party of a healthy lifestyle? Can we have it without remorse or regret?

Can chocolate really be good for your health?

"Healthy chocolate sounds like a dream come true, but chocolate hasn't gained the status of health food quite yet. Still, chocolate's reputation is on the rise, as a growing number of studies suggest that it can be a heart-healthy choice.

Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols — which are more prevalent in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate or white chocolate — also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. In addition, some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack. One caveat: The evidence for the health benefits of chocolate comes mostly from short-term and uncontrolled studies. More research is needed.

In the meantime, if you want to add chocolate to your diet, do so in moderation. Why? Most commercial chocolate has ingredients that add fat, sugar and calories. And too much can contribute to weight gain, a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Choose dark chocolate with cocoa content of 65 percent or higher. Limit yourself to around 3 ounces (85 grams) a day, which is the amount some studies have shown to be helpful. Because this amount may provide up to 450 calories, you may want to cut calories in other areas or step up the exercise to compensate."

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Disclaimer #1: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness guru. I am sharing what I've learned through research and experience; you all must use your own judgment in deciding what is best for your and your own health, including checking with your doctor before beginning any exercise or dietary program.

Disclaimer #2: I am the Queen of Procrastination. I learned it from Mr. Pea. For example, the ring seal on the toilet in the kids' bathroom had cracked. Mr. Pea purchased the replacement part and then let it sit...FOR SEVEN YEARS! Yes. Seven years. I know, because after the first few months of reminding him, I found the part, wrote the date on the box and put it in the bathroom cabinet. Seven years of me cleaning up after a leaking toilet, pulling out that box out of the cabinet at every opportunity and showing it to Mr. Pea with the DATE on it. Seven years of tears, hissy fits and words over whether or not I should hire a plumber to come fix the danged toilet. Mr. Pea fixed the toilet over Thanksgiving Break last year. Total procrastination time? Seven years, six months and 21 days. It took Mr. Pea and The Architect a total of 37 minutes to fix it.

My own procrastination isn't quite as extreme as Mr. Pea's, however, I have two pairs of pants that need to be hemmed that have been draped over the sewing machine since before Christmas. I put off scheduling my annual checkup so much that it's now in April instead of my birthday month, September. I usually file my taxes on April 15, 11:55 pm. Thank goodness for electronic filing!

The point is, though, we can no longer procrastinate with our health. Time is NOT kind, and is not on our side. We have to do today, this minute, what needs to be done. That means putting down the fork, lacing up the shoes and getting outside for a walk. That means sweating in the gym, lifting weights or using cardio machines. That means making choices in every moment that will help us get to the healthy we want to be.

I spent my lunch hour swinging a kettle bell and doing pushups instead of going out for pizza with the rest of my team. What have you done today?

E2E: Emerge Transformed!

Bluezy's Badge

14 Weeks to a New You!

Time for Change...Help your buddy get there: ~Casey and Julie *Bluezy and lv2 *Eaba and Nanette *Debby and UpInTheCosmos *Jenny and Betty *Jordan and Mir *Karen and Bethany *Megan and Jillian *Angela and Jo~